Twelve Fifty Seven
by TheWordWarrior
Summary: Harry woke up in his bed, almost dripping with cold sweat. What followed were a chain of perplexing events that dragged Harry's sanity through a hellish nightmare. What was real? What was not? Was it all in his head? It suddenly became a race for Harry as he desperately searched for answers to uncover the elusive truth behind everything that was happening. Post OoTP. AU
1. Test of Sanity

A/N: I know I have been putting two of my current running fics on hold but this story had been on my mind for a couple of months now, tormenting me to no end. I just _had_ to put it down on paper. However, considering the nature of this fic, I have already prepared the final draft (and hence my long pending updates) and will be posting the chapters one by one each every four days and spare my readers the long wait. I hope this is as good as I imagined. Let me know how it is. Thanks for reading!

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Test of Sanity

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Harry shot up in his bed, sweating profusely with an unsettling tingling all over his body. It was as if something was crawling right under his skin. He was so disoriented that it took him almost a minute to realize where he was. A strange burning sensation enveloped him as his eyes tried to adjust to the darkness of his fifth year dormitory, the dim moonlight from the lone window being the only source of illumination. He pulled away the sweat soaked covers from over him and sat up on his bed. It was quiet; too quiet. The air was frozen still and the birds and the animals lay strangely silent. The complete absence of sound was almost crushing his eardrums. An unnerving feeling was gnawing at the back of his mind. Moreover, he couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep or what exactly had happened before that. It was all muddled up inside his head. He checked his forehead for signs of fever but it felt normal.

He swung his legs over to the side of his bed and stood up unsteadily. He reached for the glass of water to ease his parched throat and glanced at his pocket watch on the bedside table. It was just past midnight; a strange coincidence apparently; or so he thought…

The glass of water didn't help as the sweltering sensation under his skin refused to go away. Harry stumbled towards the washroom, swung the door open and splashed cold water on his face over the washbasin as the door closed shut behind him. He raised his head and studied his dishevelled state in the mirror. He looked very unhealthy and sleep deprived. He wondered why that was. However, his depressed line of thought was interrupted by a flash of someone's reflection in the mirror, followed by the door to the washroom swinging outwards with a bang. Before he could even register what had just happened, he heard a thud and his forehead was instantly hit by a sharp pain. His left hand flew to his forehead as he noticed the sudden spike of fear in his own eyes in the mirror. _Voldemort!_

Without realizing it, Harry was already holding his wand in his other hand. With his heart almost beating out of his chest he inched forward towards the open door and peeked in the dormitory, his wand at the ready and the disarmament charm right at the tip of his tongue. While he was looking around, the pain in his head almost disappeared, startling him slightly. His eyes examined the still dormitory where nothing seemed to be moving. Even the wind was at a standstill.

There had definitely been a loud noise which should have woken at least someone but everyone was… Harry was in for a rude shock when he found the dormitory _completely_ empty. Their beds were made and no one seemed to have slept in them. It was way past midnight. _Where was everyone?_

Something was definitely off; he just couldn't put his finger on it. His eyes once again glanced at the empty beds. He wondered whether his dorm mates were all downstairs in the common room. He couldn't think of any other place where they could be. Did something happen? Why didn't someone wake him up? However, the question that was occupying the most of his mind was what was the pain that he had just felt? He checked his scar but it felt normal. Although he did sense a slight swelling near his scar that he hadn't noticed earlier. What was that all about?

He decided to check the common room. However, before he could even take a step towards the exit, the moonlight pouring through the window of the dormitory was blocked by someone, casting a shadow over him. Harry froze and in the next moment he ducked and swivelled on his feet to defend himself from the oncoming spell fire that was sure to come his way. _There was no one there…_

Was an invisibility cloak in play? " _Homenum Revelio_ " Nothing. There was no one in the dormitory beside himself. Was it just his eyes playing tricks on him? Even before he could deal with this perplexing situation, he heard the door knob turn with a sharp squeak behind him. Harry was quick to face the door, ready as before, half expecting that it was his ears that were playing up now. Not this time though. He could clearly see the door knob turn again. It seemed the door was locked and someone was trying to enter the room. Was it one of his dorm mates?

"Who is it?" Harry called out evenly, hoping for an answer. For some reason he wanted to talk to someone, eager for someone's company. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding on his part. Maybe he was just too tired and his senses were failing him. Everything that had happened must have a perfectly normal explanation for it. However, the silent response that stretched on drowned what little optimism he had. The door knob stopped turning anymore and the deathly hush returned once again.

Throwing caution to the wind, Harry unlocked the door and swung the door open. There was no one there. _Again_. "Come out whoever you are! Stop playing this game of hide and seek!" Harry yelled out in frustration as his angry eyes scrutinized the empty space before him. The lack of response only seemed to rile him up. He stepped outside and looked in either direction. The stairs were devoid of any human presence as well. He almost raced downstairs, the loneliness finally getting to him. He knew that there was always someone wandering around the common room, even at such a late hour. A small part of him was already expecting the worst though.

He found himself entering the dark common room much sooner than he expected. Didn't he have to circle the winding stairs five times in total to make it to the common room? However, he couldn't give it much thought as he brushed past something as he walking down the stairs. Suppressing his panic, he squinted in the darkness to make out who it was. He waved his hands around the space before him but they met nothing but air. He somehow managed to convince himself that it was most probably the wind playing tricks on his senses and tried not to think much of it. The dark common room was not helping matters either. The fireplace was unlit and the large window of the common room which was usually left open, was closed shut. Harry forced open the window and with some effort swung it wide open. The moonlight streamed in accompanied by a gust of cold wind blowing across his face. There was a slight rustle behind him but he was distracted and didn't notice. With a hungry smile he welcomed the wind as he closed his eyes. The momentarily relief was short-lived though as the wind died down within moments. With a weary sigh he turned around and glanced around the empty common room.

A low scratchy laugh drew his attention to someone seated in the sofa, opposite the fireplace, facing away from him. He could clearly make out a head. The dull pain in his forehead suddenly intensified causing him to almost lose his balance. He gritted his teeth as he tried to muffle his groan. He was trying desperately to stay as silent as possible so as not to alert the person seated before him.

Harry hurried forward, not giving any opportunity for the person before him to escape. " _Lumos_ "

There was no one there… His wide eyes could only stare at the vacant seat on the sofa as he mentally screamed in exasperation. The ache in his head vanished again just as it had appeared. Was it actually his scar? Harry didn't think so since the pain was distinctly different. It was more of a physical pain that he was feeling rather than the mental agony that he usually suffered when Voldemort was involved. That said, the baffling brief flashes of headache were troubling him even more.

He threw the light of his wand around but there was no other soul in sight. Harry lit the fireplace with his wand and once again scanned his surroundings. The only thing moving were the shadows which were playing a puppet to the fireplace. _Where the hell is everyone?!_ Unbridled panic was threatening to take a hold of him.

The next thing which happened took Harry's breath away. There was someone standing on the window sill, someone he hadn't noticed up till now, with his back facing Harry. Harry tried to call out but he was rendered mute. He tried to move but his limbs were paralyzed. With horror struck eyes he could only watch as the boy leaned forward and fall out of sight. "NOOO!" His voice finally returned, only a second too late. He rushed towards the window and leaned over it but his vision was blocked by the small ledge below. He raced upstairs along the winding staircase, huffing and puffing as he reached his dormitory entrance. _It was locked from the inside!_

Didn't he just open it a few moments ago? He tried the door knob again just in case but it didn't budge. Before he could figure out what was going on a muffled voice called out from behind the door. "Who is it?"

Hearing another person's voice literally shocked him out of his shoes. He tried to respond but only a barely audible scratchy noise left his throat. Harry strained his ears but nothing more was said. He was having an odd sense of déjà vu but he couldn't place it. Maybe if his mind had been much clearer he could have been able to make sense of it but his current state was anything but that.

After a brief moment of silence, Harry reached for the door and tried it again, something telling him that it would give way. _It was unlocked._ He hadn't heard anyone unlock it. Gritting his teeth, Harry tried to move on. His mental strength was really being tested here. Harry pushed away the burdening questions that were weighing him down and focused on his immediate goal.

He hastened towards his trunk and threw it open, wildly rummaging for his broomstick. Strangely enough, try as hard as he could but his search was proving to be futile. He shut the trunk and looked under his bed and in the vicinity where his broom could have been but no luck. He had always been very careful with his Firebolt, making sure that he locked it away in his trunk every time before he went to sleep. _Maybe I missed a spot_ , he hoped half-heartedly.

He snapped the trunk open again and to his utter astonishment, the broom lay right at the top, over the stack of neatly folded clothes and arranged books which he had just messed up in the process of searching for his broom. He gingerly reached for his broom, half expecting it to disappear right from his grip. Thankfully no such thing happened and Harry moved to the window, discarding thoughts that were beginning to tug at the strands of his sanity. He stopped in his tracks and glanced at his empty bed. Did he just imagine it or was there someone actually sleeping in his bed? Shaking himself he prepared himself and mounted the Firebolt.

Harry flinched when he heard the running water in the washroom but refused to look away from the window. A small part of him feared that he was not going to find anything even if he looked. There was something more important at hand that needed his attention, he persuaded himself. He had to investigate outside to see who jumped and whether he had survived. Maybe Harry would be able to help… in some way. That was laughable since it looked like it was he who needed all the help.

Without giving himself another moment to hesitate, Harry launched himself out through the window and with a graceful arc, he aimed his broom for the area right under the Gryffindor common room window.

Landing nearby, he began to look around the shrubs but it became evident that there was no one there. Harry pressed his eyes close as his finger nails dug deep into his palms, holding them by his side. _Someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!_

Harry opened his eyes and stared up in the sky, hoping that some higher power could rescue him from this hellish nightmare. Out of the corner of his eyes he spotted a moving speck which immediately drew his attention. _There was someone else flying on a broom_! He blinked a couple of times but the scene before his eyes didn't change. Someone was definitely flying, swiftly at that, in the general direction of the Gryffindor tower.

Harry quickly mounted back on his broom and set himself on the wild goose chase, totally prepared to draw a blank. Harry realized that his quarry had a head start so he pushed his broom ahead trying not to lose his target who was soon approaching a corner. As he began to close in, he realized that the person before him was heading straight to the open window on the fifth floor dormitory. For some reason Harry wasn't surprised. Without trying to be discreet Harry followed him in through the window. There he stood in the middle of the room, facing the door. There was something strangely familiar about him but Harry couldn't recognize what it was. The shadow that Harry was casting over him was not helping his vision either. Was it one of his dorm mates? He opened his mouth to call out to him but before a sound could leave his throat, the person standing before him disappeared into nothingness.

 _Someone is definitely playing with me!_ That was the first thought that churned in Harry's mind as his eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets. He felt the pain in his forehead suddenly return but with a subdued intensity. That was another mystery that he yet to figure out. He realized that he desperately needed answers. A lot of answers. There was only one person that came to his mind who could possibly have them.

With reinforced determination, Harry left the dormitory and began to move downstairs. Footsteps behind him stopped him in his tracks but he decided to ignore them. His attempts to look for answers on his own had been in vain up till now. He needed help. He took another step forward but another thought fought for his attention. What if someone was trying to guide him? Clearly the pattern in which in he had been led around did seem to indicate that, although to what end he did not know. He turned his head to his side as his ears picked up the sound of footsteps once again, which seemed to be coming from upstairs.

With mind made up, he decided to investigate first before heading out to speak with Dumbledore. The more clues that he had the better. He turned around and followed the footsteps. Coming around the bend he found the sixth year-

 _This cannot be! This is messed up! My eyes cannot be trusted anymore!_

'Fifth Year Dormitory' -was clearly written on the door!

With frantic breaths he slowly pushed open the door with a foreboding look on his face and peeked inside.

 _Nooo…!_ He mentally cried. This was definitely his dorm room. A sharp pain pierced his shoulder, catching him totally unawares. A loud groan left him as he began to breathe heavily, trying to cope with the sudden pain. The throbbing in his shoulder completely disappeared moments later. It was as if the pain he felt was something he had imagined. His eyes returned to the stairs which ran upwards. He refused to believe it!

He closed the door and ran upstairs and on the next storey, there it was again…

'Fifth Year Dormitory'

He ran again…

'Fifth Year Dormitory'

And again…

'Fifth Year Dormitory'

A small sob left him as his sanity began to stretch thin. Dumbledore… He has the answers. He must have the answers… With desperation he turned around and ran downstairs. After rushing down just one storey he was already entering the common room. The common room was dark, with the window closed and fireplace unlit. Didn't he just-

He forced his mind to just look ahead and push himself forward. He was not going to get distracted.

"Ha..r..y…" A mangled and scratchy voice called out from behind as he was just about to open the portrait hole to head for the Headmaster's Office.

 _I will not look back. I will not look back._

However, his curiosity got the better of him and he slowly turned around. And there he stood, a tall figure with an ominous intensity, darkness practically oozing out of him as his shrivelled hand tried to reach out for Harry.

 _Voldemort!_


	2. Driven Over the Edge

A/N: Thanks for your feedback guys! I tweaked my summary as suggested. What are your thoughts now? Anyway, on with the next chappie. Enjoy!

(Warning: Sensitive Theme)

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Driven Over the Edge

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Completely overrun by terror, Harry turned tail, dropping his broomstick in the process and threw himself through the portrait hole. In his haste he tripped over something and slid across the floor on his stomach. The wand tightly gripped in his hand was long forgotten, the thought to defend himself, to fight back didn't even occur to him. A little part of him was disgusted with himself. _Could anyone blame him though?_

The throbbing in his forehead suddenly spiked again as his head crashed into something causing him to almost blackout. Blinded by the pain Harry tried to feel his way around, trying to push himself off the floor so that he could get away and put as much distance as possible between himself and Voldemort. However, something was definitely out of place. It didn't seem he was in the corridor in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. The floor felt different, and so did the smell in the air. _Where am I_?

He was in for another rude shock as the fog before his eyes began to clear. He furiously blinked his eyes and shook himself, even pinching himself for good measure. Alas! There was no change… _He was back in his dormitory!_

The dryness in his throat almost choked him as Harry began to hyperventilate, full blown panic finally taking a hold of him. His mind froze over, unable to cope with the improbability of the situation. A high pitched ringing in his ears shook his insides as his body began to spasm, curling into a fetal position. He was losing it. A small part of his mind which was still frantically fighting to recover control, did the first thing that came to it.

" _Stupefy!_ " Harry whispered through clenched teeth, pointing his wand on himself. His mind went blank for a brief moment but he didn't completely lose consciousness, probably due to a poorly cast stunning charm. He was floating in and out as his body began to grow lax while his painful gasps eased into steady rise and fall of his chest. He slowly opened his eyes as he stared at what could only be the underside of a bed.

He tried to clear his head, putting his rusty Occlumency skills to use, pushing away what was not making sense to him. _Everything has an explanation… Everything will become clear soon…_ He kept on repeating those words in his head. Feeling a state of calm return to him, he rolled back on to his stomach and raised himself on his elbows. He turned around his body to face away from the wall and looked around the dorm from under the bed. He noticed the drapes and realized that he was actually under his own bed.

He heard the door knob turn as he was about to drag himself out from under his bed. He quickly rolled to his side and aimed his wand at the door from under the bed, sweat sliding down his temple. He gritted his teeth as he tried to keep his fear at bay. Voldemort was still in play. He was hunting Harry down.

 _Please be locked. Please be locked._ Harry mentally prayed but he knew that a mere locked door wasn't going to stop the Dark Lord. The door clicked and began to open. Harry stopped breathing and the seconds began to drag on forever. His wand arm was beginning to shake violently as he tried to make out the outline of his archenemy standing in the dark doorway. He ignored the sudden pain in his shoulder and swallowed back his cry of agony. A horrifying wail echoed into the room, chilling Harry to his very bone. However, the door closed shut after just opening a crack. _What...?_

Harry just stared at the door for what could have been an eternity but it had only been a few seconds. The stillness stretched on interrupted as the unbearable silence returned with a vengeance.

 _I am right here. Just kill me and get this farce over with!_ Harry mentally screamed. This morbid _game,_ the way in which Voldemort was toying with Harry was getting unbearable for him, his mental state once again going under. He stood up and with foolish boldness threw open the door. "Come and get me!" He challenged at the top of his voice. Not finding anyone, he ran downstairs, as if rushing to his own death. The fire burned and the moonlight poured into the common room but there was no sign of his nemesis. _Where are you hiding?_ The prey became the _predator_ , it seemed.

With a false sense of courage Harry pushed open the portrait hole, half expecting to see the inside of his dormitory again. However, he was in the corridor just the way he remembered. That being said, it was unnaturally dark and the ends of corridors were completed shrouded in black, as if ready to swallow anyone into the dark void who dare approach it.

Harry started moving forward, trying to put all of his strength into his steps as he forced his way through the dark haze that was pushing him back. His breaths were beginning to grow ragged as an unexplained sense of dread began to creep under his skin. With each step the terror began to amplify and it grew so overwhelmingly that Harry's feet froze to a complete stop. Uncontrolled panic began to crush him in its grasp, every part of him screaming to run back and return to the _safe_ confines of the common room. His resolve finally overpowered, he gave in to his primal instinct to flee for his life. He bolted for the common room with such ferocity as if his very life depended on it and flew through the portrait hole like a terrified mouse and shut it behind him. His chest was heaving rapidly as he desperately fought for his sanity.

What was it that just happened behind this door? What was that ominous feeling? What was that overpowering force that was stopping him to leave this _prison_? He stared at his legs, which were still shaking uncontrollably. Was this Voldemort's doing? Was his death not the Dark Lord's goal? Was he trying to drive him insane? Was he planning to control him after weakening his mind as he did at that time-

A sudden memory almost blasted him off his feet. He began to recall the events that had transpired at the Department of Mysteries. He remembered how he fell into a trap set by Voldemort and how he became the reason behind the death of his godfather.

 _Sirius_ … A tear rolled down Harry's cheek. The guilt was threatening to crush him under it's weight. He still didn't know whether his friends who he had dragged along with him were okay or not. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to them. He had to find out…

Harry also had a faint memory of what happened right at the end when Voldemort tried to take over his mind. But he failed, didn't he? A horrible thought entered his mind. What if-what if Voldemort was still in head, trying to cripple him, waiting for the moment when he was at his weakest and then pounce on him from where he was least expecting. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced of his deductions. He _had_ to escape his clutches. He had to find a way to escape from this realm where he had no control. He had to force Voldemort out from his mind. The question was how?

Out of nowhere his Firebolt materialized right before his feet. He frowned as he stared at it. Didn't he drop it here when he had tried to flee earlier? Why did it just suddenly appear? Was this another one of Voldemort's traps? Or was it a sign? Was this the part of his mind which was still in his control, trying to resist, trying to fight back? He didn't know but he just couldn't ignore it. He picked up the broomstick and glanced towards the large open window.

Was his means of escape through that window? Was he supposed to fly, far from this place, far from the reaches of Voldemort?

It was worth giving a try.

And so he set flight for no destination in particular, just somewhere far away from where he currently was. He readied himself as the distance began to grow between himself and the school. And then it came. First was the slight uneasiness that slowly began to wash over him, followed by the growing discomfort and then… an utter sense of doom…

Harry fought hard, willing every fibre of his body to push on but he was failing miserably. He was losing the battle sooner than he had in the corridor. His body refused to cooperate anymore as his mind helplessly roared to regain control. The feeling was akin to him intentionally drowning himself while his body involuntarily struggled, trying to stay afloat. His broom began to vibrate uncontrollably and slowed down. As if with a mind of its own, the Firebolt swerved around and began to fly straight back to his dormitory.

His defeated mind could only watch as a mere spectator as he was thrown back into his _prison_. He got off his broomstick as he landed in his dormitory and stared blankly at the closed door. Voldemort was winning. He was already losing his mind. The pain in his forehead wasn't really helping matters.

There was no escape, at least nothing that he could think of. He began to move aimlessly, completely lost. His sanity was slowing withering away…

He was in the common room before he even realized it. His blank gaze captured the flickering flames of the fireplace. He was feeling extremely cold so he moved closer to the only source of warmth and sat in the sofa opposite the hearth, dropping the Firebolt on the floor. The fireplace immediately extinguished and the whole common room was swallowed in darkness. There was no reprieve for him...

His eyes spotted a stack of parchments on the table before him which he hadn't noticed earlier. Something was written on it but it was too dark to make out the words.

" _Lumos"_ With mild curiosity, he leaned forward and read those sinister words. _He wished he hadn't..._

'Kill Yourself'

What was more disturbing was the fact that he recognized the narrow and loopy handwriting immediately. It was Dumbledore's without a doubt. Another sick joke on Voldemort's part, he was sure of. He sank back into the sofa and closed his eyes.

Was this the final nail in Harry's coffin? Was he so desperate to escape this nightmare that he would surrender himself? Was he completely driven into the corner that killing himself was the only solution left with him? Would he actually die? Isn't all of this happening in his head? He no longer knew anything anymore...

As if on cue, the large window opened on its own behind him, followed by a gust of cold icy wind ruffling his already untidy hair and cut into his skin. Harry gave a cold dry laugh. He finally realized what that horrific incident that happened earlier meant. It was a hint for Harry. It was an indication of what was to come. It was Voldemort's cruel way to remind Harry what he had to do escape this torment. It was almost as if he was daring Harry to do the _irreversible deed_. Or maybe it was the final ploy to push Harry over the edge. Literally...

Harry stood up slowly and walked up to the window. He tried to look down to see how far high it was but the small ledge again came in the way.

 _I want to be free. No matter what the cost. The world be damned._ Dark thoughts had him completely in its clutches. The sound of reason inside him began to choke and fade away, suffocated by the malevolence that enshrouded him.

He raised himself onto the window sill, his dead eyes staring at the cold earth that was impatiently waiting to swallow him. It seemed so far below. He was inches away from meeting his end.

His cold body gave one last tremble as the last of the rebellion inside him was finally smothered. He raised his head and looked at the vast expanse before him and then closed his eyes. He began to lean forward, swallowing in his last few breaths.

And then he was flying.

And then… nothingness…


	3. Labyrinth of the Mind

A/N: Something came up and I was unable to update the remaining chapters as per my pre-decided schedule. Anyway, here is the next chapter…

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Labyrinth of the Mind

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Harry's eyes flew open, a jarring pain in his shoulder welcomed him back to the land of the living; or was he dead? He no longer knew the difference anymore; nor did he care. The nightmare was still in full swing, he realized bitterly.

 _Damn you Voldemort! What do you want from me?!_

Enraged beyond reason, he threw himself to his feet, while gingerly holding his throbbing shoulder and glared around for his non-existent enemy. It was as if he could feel someone around him but nothing met his eye. He was in the empty common room, standing right before the large window, from where he had just…. He tried to suppress the odd mixture of feelings of self-disgust and self-pity that were threatening to aggravate his already deranged state.

He glowered at the grounds below the castle, as if it was responsible for his situation. He felt cheated, in a morbid sense of way. His only means of escape was denied to him.

"Come and get me!" Someone shouted out loud, the strangely unfamiliar voice coming from somewhere upstairs. Was it a challenge to him? For some reason, he wanted it to be so. With a vicious smile he marched upstairs, his wand held at his side, ready to unleash the volcano of rage inside him.

Once again, there was the same sense of déjà vu but Harry disregarded it. He was no longer thinking straight. Not that he could be blamed…

He came to the first door and opened it, no longer surprised that it was his dorm and not the first year's. There was no one, which didn't surprise him either. All that anger that burned inside him extinguished instantly. His mood swings were getting worse. There was no one in this little _world_ of his that he could throw his frustration at. He was all alone.

He was so tired; so very tired. He had enough of this. With his droopy eyes he glanced at his inviting bed. He eased himself onto it and threw the covers over himself, covering his whole body. He snuggled in the warm bed and closed his eyes, a small smile spreading across his face. _I shouldn't have left this comfortable place to begin with._

He sighed with relief as he tried to forget everything that had transpired in the last few hours. Maybe… maybe nothing actually happened. He must have been hallucinating all this while. Everything was alright now. Within a few hours the sun would be up and this horrible nightmare would end. A strange calmness began to hug him as an irrational sense of understanding distorted his impression of reality. _This is not real. Nothing is real. This is just a bad dream. A lonely nightmare._ All he needed to do now was for him to go back to sleep…

He heard the sound of splashing water coming from the washroom. He slept unmoving…

He heard footsteps from outside the dorm. His eyes remained closed…

He heard the squeak of the door knob turning. He swallowed hard but still didn't move…

He heard someone open his trunk and search for something inside it. His eyes flew open, a frown beginning to form on his forehead…

"-playing this game of hide and seek!" Someone yelled out loudly at the doorway. Harry's eyes widened suddenly as he heard the same words that he remembered himself saying. The sense of déjà vu was stronger than ever. An idea began to grow inside his head, a possible answer to everything that was happening to him. However, there was one factor that seemed to shoot down all the theories that he could come up with.

 _Time_

It just didn't seem to fit with the sequence of events that had occurred in the last few hours or so. He strained his ears, and on not hearing anything he poked his head out to look at his pocket watch at the table.

12:06

 _What?! What?! What?!_ Harry mentally yelled repeatedly. It was as if he had run headfirst into a brick wall. His mind had screeched to a complete halt. He blankly stared at the second hand, tick around the dial, without a care in the world.

He heard someone's running footsteps and something hit the bed he was sleeping in. At the same moment, sudden pain flared in his forehead and he heard a barely audible groan coming from below him. _Someone was under his bed._ That someone could only be- _It's not possible! What he was thinking was inconceivable!_

He clenched his jaws to reign in his growing sense of panic. He had to make sure. He waited for silence to return and again poked his head out to glance at the watch. _It was no longer there._ Harry balled his fist with frustration. In doing so his hand grazed by his side. There was something in the pocket. _Something round; like a... pocket watch._ With eyes wide, he again looked from under the covers... and there it was again. His watch was back on the table. And the watch in his pocket was no longer there. He quickly grabbed the watch and checked the time.

12:14

 _Impossible!_ It couldn't have been more than three minutes since he last checked the time. What in the world was going on? Did it mean that what he was thinking was actually true?

"NOOOO!" A sharp scream coming from downstairs distracted him. Harry's eyes immediately returned to the watch.

12:34

A jump of twenty minutes! He felt the dull pain in his head return but he overlooked it. He kept staring at the watch deciding not to look away until there was a change in time. The seconds ticked by.

12:28

And then it happened again, right before his very eyes. The hands of the watch seem to change positions. It hadn't even been more than twenty seconds since the last jump. Moreover, the headache seemed to aggravate a little. Harry's eyes widened slightly as a hint of understanding began to dawn on him. He might have finally come up with an explanation for the fluctuating levels of pain in his forehead… and possibly also his shoulder.

It had been _he himself_ all along. It was his _other selves_ that he had been seeing or hearing for the last… he no longer knew how long it had been. Clearly the time was overlapping for him. There also did seem to be some sort of rules that governed his time jumps, although he had yet to figure out that part.

There was one thing that was definitely strange about his time jump. It wasn't his body that was moving through time. It seemed it was just his consciousness. That could definitely clarify why the pain he felt was so discontinuous with varying levels of intensity. That being said, he couldn't explain why there were more copies of himself in this… _realm_? He also didn't know what this place was… Another one of the things that he had yet to unravel.

The more Harry began to reason his current situation, the more of his sanity seem to return. He felt he was returning back to normal. However, just being able to understand his predicament was not going to help him much in terms of his escape.

First he had to find out why he was here. If he could figure that out then he could perhaps find a way to break free from here. Did his earlier assumption that Voldemort was behind everything, incorrect? Clearly, the pain in his head was because of him hitting it on the edge of his own bed. It had nothing to do with his scar. What about what he saw in the common room? He closed his eyes and tried to focus on what he could remember of it. Now, with a much clearer head on his shoulders, he had to agree that there was a chance that it could not be Voldemort. It was too dark to make out who the person actually was.

That being said, the last thing he remembered was his mind being taken over by Voldemort. That seemed to definitely indicate that the Dark Lord could have had a hand in this unending nightmare of his or maybe at least be the cause of it.

Harry decided to make his move. He once again waited to ensure that there was no one around. Then he checked his watch.

12:02

Perfect timing! He stealthily got off the bed and with a look around, opened his trunk. The first thing he saw was his broom. He was about to reach for the broom but stopped himself. He realized that if he removed the broom from the trunk, his future self wouldn't be able to retrieve it. He waited patiently for the next jump. He didn't have to wait too long.

12:52

The broom disappeared and the trunk was left completely messy; not that he cared. He once again stopped himself from retrieving his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, remembering what happened with the pocket watch. He had woken up at just past twelve so he had to ensure that he took the cloak and the map as early as possible. He didn't want to lose the cloak while he was walking around under it to hide his presence. Another worrying thought struck him! If there had been a time jump while he was riding the broom, to a time before he took the broom, it would have been catastrophic!

12:43

He heard footsteps outside as soon as he moved to a new a time. He threw a glance towards the door but the sound of the footsteps moved past by. It was still too late so Harry waited.

12:09

The broom was still not there. It seemed he had taken the broom quiet early in time and hence was able to avoid any accidents. He pocketed his watch and quickly took the cloak and the map, and closed the lid of his trunk. He immediately threw the cloak over himself and whispered the password for the map after unfolding it.

There was no one anywhere in the castle, that much was clear. He focused on the Gryffindor tower and what he saw mildly surprised him. _There were three Harry Potters in total that he could see, currently roaming around._ This should have shocked him more than it had but after all he had experienced so far, this seemed rather ordinary in comparison. He watched one of his selves standing in the common room while the other seemed to be flying around on his broom outside. Well that explained a few things.

And raised a few more questions…

If his own copies are the only ones here, what was Voldemort, or whoever that was, doing here? Also what was that note to _kill himself_ meant? He had to investigate further. The answers were most probably downstairs.

Harry quietly made his way down towards the Common Room. To his astonishment, _he managed to run into himself; almost._ Harry pushed into the side of the stairs and let the other one pass by, while holding his breath. He let out a deep sigh of relief when he was again alone on the stairs. It was a strange feeling of seeing _himself_ before him.

The common room finally came into view. He noticed that he had to walk down only one set of spiralling stairs. For some strange reason, the fifth year dorm was on each storey, in some kind of weird loop. He felt like trying to find an answer to this mystery wouldn't benefit him much and decided to ignore it and focus on finding a way to escape.

The common room was completely dark. He had stopped on the stairs trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness when suddenly someone bumped into his shoulders. _It was his other self!_ So much for being careful…

Harry ducked as his other self's hands reached out for him. That was close. He should have remembered what had happened earlier. He realized that everything seemed to be following a single chain of unaltered events. Nothing seemed to divert from what had occurred in the past… or the future.

Suddenly the common room was flooded by the moonlight and the fire was crackling at its brightest. He was the only one in the room. He quickly moved towards the table before the sofa where he had earlier found the parchment. However, there was nothing on the table. He frowned as he looked around the common room. He finally spotted a couple of sheets on the floor, in the corner hidden from view. The first few he picked up were blank. However, his search was interrupted as the common room once again returned to darkness and the parchments disappeared from before him. He turned around to notice a faint outline of the parchments on the table. They seemed to have returned to its original position. Why was that happening? He began to walk towards the table when he suddenly stopped mid-step as the scene before him suddenly changed.

He noticed his other self, walk down the stairs and towards the portrait hole. In the same instant he noticed something bizarre near the fireplace. A long crack began to form in mid-air and slowly began to widen. Something was shooting out from all around the crack in the form of dark sparks as Harry felt a pulsating energy emanate from the crack. He could feel his skin crawl as he gulped down the intense feeling, telling him to flee. The crack suddenly began to take on a human form as someone tried to force his way through it. Harry first noticed the hand and then one of the shoulders and then the face…

 _Professor Dumbledore!_ The weird sparks and the strange glow escaping from the crack behind him was morphing his features in a sinister fashion and only by looking more closely could anyone have identified him to be the Headmaster.

"H..a..r..y" The floating partial body of Dumbledore, called out to his other self. There was a hint of an undertone of concern and worry in his voice but the way he sounded and looked, gave a completely different picture. No wonder his other self was absolutely terrified and ran for his life.

Moments later, the crack disappeared and so did the Headmaster. There no longer seemed to be any doubt in Harry's mind that Dumbledore was trying to help him. Did that mean that the message that was written on the parchment was actually from the Headmaster himself? Then why did he wanted Harry to kill himself? Was he missing something? He had to find out.

Harry resumed his hunt for clues and walked towards the table to examine the parchments when suddenly a few things occurred in quick succession.

The common room was illuminated by the fire and the moon.

He noticed his broomstick appearing right at his feet near the sofa.

He spotted his other self, standing near the fireplace behind him.

And finally, he saw a third Harry Potter, standing on the ledge of the large window.

Whatever happened next was instantaneous and involuntary. His invisible-self grabbed the Firebolt, mounting it in the same breath and shot ahead towards the Harry Potter who was already disappearing from view. Harry leaned forward and reached out with his hand as he tried to race the free fall of his other self, with his Invisibility Cloak fluttering around him. The cold earth was quickly approaching. He had less than half a second.

He stretched out his hand as much as he could and managed to get a good grip on his falling-self's ankle and tugged hard, pushing his broomstick in a hairpin turn. A screech of agony burst through his throat as his shoulder flared with unbearable pain but he refused to let go. They flew in a sharp arc, his other self's fingers almost grazing the ground. That was a close one. Harry was breathing hard as he tried to regain control of the broom and tried to pull up the _other_ Harry.

"Nooo!" Harry heard a muffled scream coming from the common room as he propped his unconscious self safely on the broom and slowly flew back up towards the common room. Upon finding the room empty, he gently placed the other Harry on the floor beside the window and turned his attention to nurse his sprained shoulder. It didn't feel broken but it was hurting a lot. His eyes returned to his sleeping self and studied him. It was a very strange feeling, something he was sure he could never get used to. He realized something else. _He had just saved himself._ What would have happened if hadn't reacted the way he did? What if he had decided to just watch and see what would happen? He really didn't know and neither did he want to think about it.

Ensuring the cloak was securely covering him, he revived his unconscious self. " _Ennervate"_

He stepped back as his other-self slowly raised himself to his feet, and then disappeared right before his eyes. And so did the light as the room was once again engulfed in darkness. _Another time jump_... Sighing to himself, Harry turned around to face the empty common room once again. He had to find what he was looking for before something else happened. He noticed the stack of parchments and quickly moved towards it. As he was about to reach for them, the room was lit by the moon followed by a gust of wind which blew the parchments away. He turned his head to notice his other self, opening the window. So this was why the parchments were getting displaced. Ignoring his other self, he moved directly to where the parchments had flown to and began examining them, the moonlight slightly helping him. He finally found one.

'Don't Kill Yourself'

Harry frowned as he re-read those words. There was no ' _Don't_ ' in the message that he had read earlier. What was more peculiar was that the word 'Don't' was written twice, almost overlapping each other. What was that about? He realized what the Headmaster was trying to tell him, although he couldn't really explain the change in the message. So he decided to move on and looked for any other hints that Dumbledore could have left behind. He found another one.

'Take Control'

What did that meant? Take control of the situation? Take control of himself? His fear? He put some thought to it but couldn't really understand the message and again moved on, hoping this wasn't the last one.

His search was proving fruitless as he didn't come across any more messages. Just as he was about to give up. He spotted a sheet of parchment that he hadn't noticed before.

'Return to your body'

What did that mean exactly? He was slightly frustrated at the moment at his inability to make sense of these _hints_ , if one could call them that. Why was Dumbledore being so vague? Couldn't he have left clear messages and that too on a single page? Why was the Headmaster making him work so hard? He tried to calm himself, slowly breathing in and out. His irritation would only hinder him, he realized. With a cool mind, he tried to think things over.

Dumbledore was asking him to return to his body. So where was his body? What part of him was missing from his body? He thought back to what he could last recollect. He remembered pushing Voldemort out of his mind and nothing much after that. He must have lost his consciousness. Then what could have happened later? He could either have been moved to St Mungo's hospital or the Hogwarts Infirmary. Although he had a good suspicion that his body was in the Infirmary. Dumbledore wouldn't have allowed his treatment in an unsafe environment of St Mungo's hospital, especially after what had just happened.

If what he had guessed was indeed right, he just had to return to the infirmary. His eyes moved to the portrait hole and the memory of his disappointing failures flashed before him. However, he knew that this time it was different. He had a destination. His head was much clearer. And most importantly, he was not afraid.

With strong steps and a resolute mind, he left through the exit and made his way towards the Infirmary. For a brief a moment he didn't feel any resistance and he thought he was going to make it. And in the next instant, he felt as he was walking against a forceful gust of chilly wind which almost managed to blow him off his feet. He struggled to take another step as he leaned forward to try and keep his balance. His feet began to slide under him, pushing him back. Doubts began to cloud his mind. He was going to fail again...

 _I am not going back._ Harry mentally yelled as he refused to buckle under the pressure. _This wind is not real. Not real._ He kept on repeating in his head as he poured all his strength in his steps and dragged his feet forward. A warm sensation slowly begin grow around him and nudge him ahead. It was as if someone was telling him, ' _It is alright. You can do it._ '

He was not afraid anymore.

The wind suddenly disappeared as Harry stumbled forward, sending him sprawling across the floor. He picked himself up and found himself standing at the entrance of the empty Infirmary… almost empty.

One of the bed was occupied by someone. Harry already knew who it was. He slowly walked towards the bed and stood by the side staring at _himself_. There was something very different about the Harry before him. Something was off; something was missing from _him_ but he couldn't figure out what.

 _Well, I am here. Now what?_ He looked around but there was no one in the Infirmary, not that he expected anyone to be there to tell him what he had to do. He returned his attention back to his sleeping self. His right hand twitched for some reason. He stared at his own hand and then at the sleeping Harry.

Instinctively, he reached out with his hand to touch the arm. Before he could feel _his_ skin, his eyes flashed open. It was as if he was waking up from a very realistic dream. The first thing Harry noticed was a pair of blue eyes that were staring down at him.

"Welcome back Harry."


End file.
